Thursday 11 June 2026
Papua New Guinea and Australia are moving forward on several key initiatives under their strategic digital partnership, following high-level discussions in Port Moresby today.
Acting Minister for Information and Communications Technology, Hon. Peter L. Tsiamalili Jr., OBE, MP, met with Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology, Ms Jessica Hunter, and senior officials to review progress on digital cooperation.
“We discussed the development of Pacific Digital and AI Principles, which Papua New Guinea and Australia are seeking to advance with Pacific Islands Forum partners,” Minister Tsiamalili said. “These principles are intended to promote digital sovereignty, responsible adoption of artificial intelligence, regional resilience, transparency, accountability, and value-for-money digital investments across the Pacific.”
The meeting also covered the modernisation of ICT and cyber cooperation through an updated Memorandum of Understanding. The new framework will reflect priorities such as secure digital infrastructure, cyber capability development, AI governance, online safety, and protection of critical technology systems.
Minister Tsiamalili welcomed progress on the Pukpuk Digital Connectivity Initiative, a major undersea cable project that will deliver three new international routes serving Northern PNG, Southern PNG, and Bougainville. “This investment is designed to strengthen our international connectivity, improve network resilience, and reduce single points of failure,” he said.
Another highlight was the Sevis Data Exchange (SevisDEx), part of PNG’s Digital Public Infrastructure agenda. Australia has committed K5 million to the project, which will enable secure interoperability across government systems. “Once implemented, SevisDEx will serve as the secure platform connecting registries and digital services, enabling more efficient, secure and citizen-centric service delivery,” Minister Tsiamalili noted.
The two sides also reviewed the Telecommunications Blueprint for PNG, led by Professor Rod Sims and Special Advisor Jack Tomon, which will guide reforms to expand connectivity, improve affordability, strengthen competition, and enhance cyber resilience.
Looking ahead, preparations are underway for the Digital Transformation Summit 2026, co-hosted by PNG and Australia. Building on the success of DTS25, which attracted more than 1,500 participants, the Summit is expected to be one of the largest digital policy and innovation gatherings in the Pacific.
“Papua New Guinea’s digital future must be secure, sovereign, inclusive and resilient,” Minister Tsiamalili affirmed. “I thank Australia for its continued partnership and look forward to advancing these important initiatives for the benefit of our people and the wider Pacific region.”
(Read Statement)